Sometimes things don’t turn out the way you expected like our May outing to Mather Lake in Sacramento County. We expected the typical wildlife that we’re used to finding there, but we only found swans and fishermen! But, we’ve learned to make the best with what we get.
I was there with my Tuesday group, and we walked as far as we could around the lake. I was carrying my Nikon D7100 and my F/4, 300 mm lens. I do need to go back to using two cameras. I also need to get to the gym so I can do it! This left me sort of handicapped for landscape or wide focus shots. I made my Fitbit happy by taking some extra steps backing up to get a good compostion. While I like the results from my 300 prime lens, it is limiting,
Sometimes, when you’re not busy shooting, you experience the most outstanding interaction between birds. A swan was protecting his mate and his cygnets from a goose. The interchange was hilarous. Too bad I couldn’t catch it. My lens was too long and my reflexes too slow!
Take a look at what I saw that morning!
A fisherman who holds his rod. 
This fisherman had two rods with bells on them just in case he fell asleep! 
A goose and goslings. 
Momma swan and cygnets. 
The cygnets. 
Mom’s getting a drink? 
No rod needed for this swan! 
A red winged black bird. 
Two kayaks were on the lake. 
A crackle. 
Thistle. 
California poppy.
Slow Shutter Speed 
Oooh…. I love the little cygnets and goslings, Anne!!! I missed them this year, I haven’t gone to the lake to find them… so thank you for giving me the opportunity of seeing these little balls of fur this year! 🙂
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You’re welcome Mercedes. We have geese and goslings where I live, but no swans and cygnets. The male geese get very protective of their families, especially when I walk my dog around our small lake!
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SPLENDID! I love the fisherman who has bells on his poles just in case he falls asleep! 🙂
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Thanks Donna. I sure wish I had a wide angle lens with me to catch him and the poles!
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The struggle is real. I, too, either under pack or over pack camera equipment! 🙂
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For me it’s what I can carry. My sling is a two camera one, but I haven’t carried two cameras in a long time. I’ve got to get back to it.
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Wow! This is beautiful:) Especially the baby birds with the mamma bird!
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Thank you Rageshree. I do appreciate your comments.
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Thank you Gageshree. I do appreciate your comment.
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I just discovered a Weekly Bird Challenge.
https://oureyesopen.blog/bird-weekly-challenge/
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Thanks David. I’m a sometimes birder, but I’ll send this on to my friend who loves to shoot birds. Maybe once I buy the Fuji 100-400mm lens I’ll get better at it! Right now my prime F/4 300mm lens on the Nikon is getting too heavy.
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